Donald Wagner
Encyclopedia
Donald "Don" Wagner is an American
politician
who serves as a Republican
member of the California State Assembly
(beginning 2010), representing the 70th District
, which includes portions of Orange County
. Wagner also serves as the Vice Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and as a member of the Aging and Long Term Care, Appropriations, Budget, and Education Committees.
and a Juris Doctorate in 1987 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law
and was admitted to the California Bar in the same year.
Wagner is married to Megan Wagner, and he and his family resides in Irvine, California.
Wagner served on several committees or advisory boards for the Orange County Bar Association and as a Judge Pro Tempore in the Superior Court of Orange County. Other previous positions include three active terms as a member of the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees. He founded and served as the first president of the Orange County Chapter of the Federalist Society
.
for the 70th Assembly District. He then proceeded to win the general election
with 58.2% of the votes.
For the 2011-2012 legislative session, Wagner has been appointed to these committees:
" and likened the author of the bill to Tony Soprano
. These comments were immediately rebuked by Italian-American Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who called on Wagner to apologize for the remarks. Wagner replied that he would "apologize to any Italian-American who is NOT in the Mafia
or involved in insurance scams". This set off a furor in the room and within seconds, a verbal feud erupted on the Assembly floor between Wagner and Assemblymen Warren Furutani
. The two had to be physically separated.
Wagner has also proposed bill (AB 338) in advocacy for greater transparency in the passing of new bureaucratic regulations. bureaucracy tries to put in place by requiring a copy of each new regulation to be submitted to the Secretary of State.
Project Vote Smart
provides the following results from legislative scorecards.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who serves as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
(beginning 2010), representing the 70th District
California's 70th State Assembly district
California's 70th Assembly District is one of 80 California State Assembly Districts. It is currently represented by Republican Don Wagner of Irvine.-District profile:...
, which includes portions of Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. Wagner also serves as the Vice Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and as a member of the Aging and Long Term Care, Appropriations, Budget, and Education Committees.
Education, and Family
Wagner received a bachelor's degree in English from the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
and a Juris Doctorate in 1987 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....
and was admitted to the California Bar in the same year.
Wagner is married to Megan Wagner, and he and his family resides in Irvine, California.
Law and Public Service Career
Wagner was an attorney for Kindel and Anderson from 1987 to 1993, and for Wagner and Associates from 1993 to 1998. He has been an attorney for Wagner Lautsch Limited Liability Partnership since 1998.Wagner served on several committees or advisory boards for the Orange County Bar Association and as a Judge Pro Tempore in the Superior Court of Orange County. Other previous positions include three active terms as a member of the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees. He founded and served as the first president of the Orange County Chapter of the Federalist Society
Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called simply the Federalist Society, is an organization of conservatives seeking reform of the current American legal system in accordance with a textualist and/or originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution...
.
California State Assemblyman
In 2010, Wagner captured the Republican primary electionPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for the 70th Assembly District. He then proceeded to win the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
with 58.2% of the votes.
For the 2011-2012 legislative session, Wagner has been appointed to these committees:
- Aging and Long-Term Care Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- Budget Committee
- Education Committee
- Judiciary Committee - Vice Chair
Controversy
On June 15, 2011, during an Assembly floor debate on a redevelopment bill, Wagner remarked that the bill was fallacious and like something he had "seen on The SopranosThe Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
" and likened the author of the bill to Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
. These comments were immediately rebuked by Italian-American Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who called on Wagner to apologize for the remarks. Wagner replied that he would "apologize to any Italian-American who is NOT in the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
or involved in insurance scams". This set off a furor in the room and within seconds, a verbal feud erupted on the Assembly floor between Wagner and Assemblymen Warren Furutani
Warren Furutani
Warren T. Furutani , represents the 55th Assembly district of California. He is a Democrat and a fourth-generation Japanese American. Furutani was elected in a special election in 2008. He replaced Laura Richardson who won a special election to replace Juanita Millender-McDonald as the member of...
. The two had to be physically separated.
Government reform
On February 16, 2011, Wagner authored a bill (AB 632) that would require the Office of Administrative Law to send notices to the legislature of proposed regulatory actions, including information regarding the economic costs of the regulation: AB 632Wagner has also proposed bill (AB 338) in advocacy for greater transparency in the passing of new bureaucratic regulations. bureaucracy tries to put in place by requiring a copy of each new regulation to be submitted to the Secretary of State.
Project Vote Smart
Project Vote Smart
Project Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
provides the following results from legislative scorecards.
- National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
– A in 2010